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Engineering and Technology Education Doctoral Student Justin Egresitz ‘23PHD Selected to Participate in ITEEA 21st Century Leadership Academy

Justin Egresitz

Doctoral student Justin Egresitz ‘23PHD, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in the NC State College of Education’s Learning and Teaching in STEM in the engineering and technology education program area of study, has been selected to participate in the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) 21st Century Leadership Academy.

The ITEEA 21st Century Leadership Academy “provides an opportunity for rising technology and engineering educators from across the country to develop as professional leaders, develop community, and have experiences related to the promotion of technology and engineering education and support technological and engineering literacy for all students in our schools.”

“It is an honor to be selected to participate in the 21st Century Leadership Academy. The program is designed to help prepare doctoral students for life after graduation, and only a few candidates are chosen per year,” he said. “This opportunity allows me to build new skills that I can bring back to NC State and share with my peers so that we can all become more capable professionals together. I am very humbled and grateful for the chance to do that.”

Egresitz, who serves as a graduate teaching assistant in the NC State College of Education, is one of six doctoral students from across the country selected to the 2021-22 cohort. The participants, who must commit to one year in the program, are selected from early career university technology and engineering education teachers.

Through the academy, Egresitz hopes to develop additional research and presentation skills and skills related to working on a team, while continuing to expand his professional network. He says the academy will also help him “develop a reputation of producing high-quality work in my field” and other skills that will help him achieve his career goals. 

Egresitz teaches undergraduate courses in the Department of STEM Education, and manages open lab times for students to use the fabrication space in Poe Hall. Upon graduation, he hopes to pursue a faculty position as a technology and engineering educator.

“I hope to become a teacher-educator and an active professional in my field at the local, state and national levels,” Egresitz said. 

He serves as vice president of the Alpha Pi Chapter of Epsilon Pi Tau, the International Honor Society for Professions in Technology, and is an active member of the Technology and Engineering Education Collegiate Association (TEECA). 

Egresitz’s research interests include the impacts of project-based learning (PBL) on the teaching and learning mindsets of early childhood educators and the practical applications of augmented reality (AR) in the technology and engineering education classroom. 

“AR hardware and software could be the next frontier of personal computing and I am interested in its use and impacts on my profession and students,” he said.